Rider Completes A 900-Kilometer Electric Motorcycle Trip Across Kenya Using Only A Portable Charger

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A boda boda rider traveled over 900 kilometers from Malaba, on Kenya’s western border with Uganda, to Mombasa, on the southern coast of Kenya, on the ROAM Air electrical motorbike, utilizing solely a conveyable charger.

We now have been protecting developments within the electrical motorbike sector in a lot of African international locations for over 6 years now. Throughout that interval, many startups went by means of a number of phases, from early pilots to early commercialization of their merchandise. A variety of them at the moment are ramping up manufacturing of their electrical bikes in a number of international locations, together with Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The motorbike phase has gotten numerous consideration as one of many lowest hanging fruits for electrification. There are over 27 million ICE motorbikes registered throughout Africa, with round 80% of them used within the motorbike taxi trade. This presents a big addressable marketplace for gamers within the sector.

According to conventional buyer habits, focusing on predominantly motorbike taxi riders who’re all the time on the go, numerous these startups have opted to include motorbike designs that includes one or two detachable batteries. Their enterprise fashions then coupled these detachable batteries with a battery swapping community the place riders can swap a battery that has low state of charger for a completely charged one in a matter of seconds. Most companies retain possession of the batteries, which then lowers the price of the motorbike. This locations the capital necessities to roll out enough battery charging and swapping infrastructure within the arms of the motorbike firms. This type of enterprise might be fairly capital intensive. Some really feel that with out massive investments within the sector, these massive capital necessities might decelerate adoption of electrical bikes.

Some motorbike taxi riders I’ve spoken with in Kenya fear in regards to the lack of battery swapping infrastructure, outdoors of the main cities like Nairobi and Mombasa. The riders really feel this limits them to working in Nairobi and Mombasa. Some riders additionally really feel that they can not take even journeys outdoors these main facilities on private or vacation journeys, as most batteries are linked to a swap heart with out the choice of dwelling charging.

ROAM, a pioneer in electrical car expertise, creates progressive public transport options tailor-made to Africa. The corporate can also be an Earthshot Prize finalist, and one of many world’s high 100 affect startups on the 2024 Influence/100 by Norrsken Basis. ROAM has taken an attention-grabbing method, as its electrical bikes have slots for 2 detachable batteries, and the corporate offers riders the choice of proudly owning the batteries or renting after which swapping at a ROAM HUB charging and swapping heart. ROAM then points prospects with a conveyable charger that can be utilized to cost the batteries utilizing a normal wall outlet. Meaning riders can cost their motorbike batteries anyplace, giving them elevated flexibility. ROAM says it takes about 90 minutes to cost one battery utilizing a normal 240V wall outlet.

To boost consciousness and provides consolation to motorbike riders that they’ll go on journeys outdoors the 2 huge cities, ROAM partnered with a Kenyan boda boda rider to go on a 900-kilometer journey from Malaba to Mombasa utilizing the Roam Air electrical motorbike. Joel Amboka, from Ruaraka sub-county in Nairobi, took the bold border to seashore journey that demonstrated the potential of ROAM Air for on a regular basis riders. His route handed by means of Kenya’s numerous landscapes, from Kenya’s furthest west to Eldoret and Nakuru, and ended on the sunlit seashores of Mombasa.

Here’s a abstract of the specs of the ROAM Air:

• Peak torque: 58 nm
• High velocity: 90 km/h
• Acceleration 0-60 km/h: 6.9 sec
• Vary: 70 km per battery pack, relying on using habits
• Battery capability: 2x 3.24 kWh
• Payload: 220 kg
• Weight: 129 kg single battery, 149 kg twin battery

Different key options:

• Detachable twin battery resolution
• Driving modes: Eco, Normal, Energy, Sport, Reverse
• Elevated carrying capability on subframe
• State-of-the-art software program and onboard telemetry
• Improved display consumer interface with higher visibility
• Storage compartment
• Fleet administration performance

ROAM says the journey showcased how ROAM Air’s moveable charging characteristic, battery possession, and dual-battery system are designed to empower boda boda riders to journey with no limits, as they solely require an influence outlet to cost the motorbike battery, proving the motorbike’s reliability, effectivity, and practicality for Kenya’s use-case.

In line with Amboka, the ROAM Air carried out seamlessly throughout all terrains, protecting a median of 160 kilometers on a full cost of its twin batteries. He accomplished the journey with 6 totally different charging stops, together with Eldoret, Nakuru, Nairobi, Machakos City, Kibwezi, and Voi.

Amboka praised ROAM Air’s efficiency throughout Kenya’s numerous terrains, from tough backroads to busy highways. “The motorcycle handled every challenge with ease right from the hilly parts of the Rift Valley to the rough roads and also, I only spent KES 140 – 160 on charging the dual battery at each stop. I also noticed that mode 2 is the best speed to use in the Kenyan highway as it keeps the motorcycle stable and speedy on the road ” he stated. “Before switching, I was spending KES 1200 on petrol daily for the same distance.”

ROAM provides that all through the journey, Amboka related with fellow boda boda riders on the stops the place he was charging the batteries, sharing his story, and inspiring them to embrace electrical mobility. His management because the Ruaraka sub-county boda boda chairperson and first-hand expertise as a boda boda rider highlighted how ROAM Air is constructed particularly for his or her wants—providing affordability, environmental advantages, and reliability.

“This journey was a true test of ROAM Air’s performance,” stated Lumbi Muchui, ROAM’s Technical Supervisor. “By covering over 900 kilometers with Joel, the ROAM Air proved that it is ready to power the daily lives of boda boda riders, whether in the city or the countryside. It’s not just a motorcycle — it’s a reliable partner for riders looking to earn more and spend less.”

This journey additionally emphasised the significance of empowering native riders, and it was evident in each cease that ROAM Air has been accepted in the entire nation. Unlike ROAM’s previous solar-powered journey to South Africathe place engineers had been on the helm, the Border-to-Seashore journey centered on showcasing the on a regular basis rider’s expertise. Amboka’s success proved that electrical bikes are an answer designed for Kenya’s hardworking boda boda group.

ROAM says the Border-to-Seashore journey marks one other milestone within the firm’s mission to drive sustainable and inexpensive transport options in Africa. Following this success, the corporate plans to increase its attain throughout Kenya and past, bringing electrical mobility nearer to the riders who want it most. Amboka’s journey evokes a brand new imaginative and prescient for boda boda riders, proving that with ROAM Air, they’ll earn extra, spend much less, and embrace cleaner mobility.

ROAM now has a fleet of over 2,000 electrical bikes in prospects’ arms. ROAM is now ramping up manufacturing of its bikes and is partnering with ride-hailing companies as properly, offering customers of ride-hailing providers the cool possibility of using electrical. ROAM can also be lively within the B2B market, partnering with a number of companies, corresponding to Greenspoon and Syokinet options.

Photographs courtesy of ROAM